Texas Whitetail Combo Hunt For Physically Challenged Hunters

Published: March - 2013

Over in south Texas, we have a report about a combo whitetail deer hunt on a property where hunters with physical disabilities can successful conduct real spot-and-stalk hunts. Subscriber John C. Kriewaldt says he was 68 in early December when he hunted the Yturria Ranch in south Texas with Wildlife Systems (325-655-0877), personal guide Ruben Fernandez (Report 9011). On this hunt, he took a big eight-point whitetail and an addax antelope. In a follow-up phone call, Kriewaldt says this was his sixth hunt with Wildlife Systems. He typically signs up for a base whitetail package and then adds an additional species for a trophy fee. He's taken several good whitetails, one mule deer in west Texas, plus addax, Beisa oryx, scimitar-horned oryx and wildebeest. He's booked again for whitetail this coming fall and plans on adding a Kafue lechwe or nilgai.

What makes this somewhat remarkable is that Kriewaldt suffers from COPD and tells us he's in "bad shape." As he puts it, "I've hunted most of the major game animals across North America except mountain sheep, but my days of hunting at elevations are done." He finds the sea-level elevations, the flat terrain and the safari-style hunting in south Texas all suit the particular limitations he faces. "The Yturria Ranch has both lease hunters and guided hunters, but ranch management doesn't allow permanent stands, blinds or baiting, and they don't allow hunters to get territorial. The animals aren't baited with agricultural products; instead they roam naturally, eating what's there.

"This is safari-style hunting you'll move from place to place in a vehicle, spot and stalk, or sneak into openings to see what you can see. This isn't gimmee' hunting. In my experience, you can actually get a shot at about one out of five animals you see that you want. The game has done well, considering the poor rainfall in far south Texas, and we do see a lot of game, both whitetails and exotics. That's one of the highlights of the hunt for me, that and the fact that it feels like I'm at home' there now."........(continued)